Critic Reviews

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88

Absolute Playstation

I was pleasantly surprised by this title. It adds a very real element of suspense and shock value to an otherwise tried and tested point and click adventure. The scenes in which you are being chased by the Scissorman are truly frightening. You never know where that sick bastard is gonna pop up from next! The game does contain a few slow spots, but overall it delivers what it promises...a suspense filled horror tale that many gamers should find absorbing and rewarding.

Clock Tower is some good, scary fun. The mood is perfect, and the atmosphere will rival any horror movie made (and blows away any scary video game). This game doesn't really use weapons, but relies on resourcefulness for survival. I recommend turning down the lights and playing for a while.

As point ’n’ click adventures go, this isn’t quite up to the all-round standard of Broken Sword, but it has enough action, intrigue and suspense to make it a very playable gaming experience in which you’ll find yourself immersed, and even laying awake at night trying to fathom out any vital clues and turning points you may have missed first, second, or even third time round. Don’t be turned-off by the obscure origins of this game, fewer titles will keep the old grey matter pulsating away for as long as this!

Likewise, your actions may also see you playing as assistant inspector Gotts or trashy “no really, I’m not a pedophile” reporter Nolan, and completing everything unlocks a number of noteworthy hidden options including secret outfits as well. Thus as a longer and more complicated beast compared to its predecessor, Clock Tower 2 is a welcome continuation of what is arguably the original console world of survival horror – it may not flaunt showy firearms and flesh-eating zombies, but you won’t much care as you flee into the darkness and begin madly punching buttons to bring down and escape into the safety of that nearby elevator. For that, you see, is when you’ll realize that he’s already in the elevator.

This simple-to-play, point-and-click adventure may not be much to look at, but it packs the most suspenseful story line since D. The game made me leap in my seat at least 20 times! Sometimes CT crawls a little, though, like when you're forced to step through long, boring conversations. But the 10 different endings keep you coming back for more.

75

Just Adventure

Clock Tower is, as concerns the history of adventure games on the Playstation, an anomaly. It plays much like a 1940s black-and-white parlor murder mystery that you watched on any city's Chiller Theater when you were a kid (unless you're a Just Adventure staff member; we would have seen it first-run at our neighborhood theatre for a quarter); except it is in color and on a console system and ... well, you get the point. It is an old-fashioned, point-and-click horror game that would be more than welcome on any adventure gamer's computer.

The graphics do the job, but the people look rough and the animation is lacking. Scissorman looks quite intimidating though, and some of the gore is shocking. As chilling as Clock Tower is, the gameplay can also be frustrating. Sometimes you'll discover something useful like mace, but inexplicably won't be able to pick it up! At other times, the actions you need to take to defeat Scissorman seem to defy logic. But in terms of pure horror, Clock Tower stands as a classic.

So that’s Clock Tower. They absolutely nailed the gameplay sections of being chased by the immortal killer and desperately trying to hide. They biffed the story – or more likely, didn’t pay for anything more than a lifeless, basic translation. It’s a shame because a slasher game really is a great idea, and the scenes here can act as a solid proof of concept. As it stands though, you might enjoy it if you can find it cheap, but you’re probably better off hoping a good indie developer takes up the slasher game genre some day.

While Clock Tower is similar to Resident Evil, it definitely has its own feel - yes, the game is scary, but the style of gameplay is much slower than adventure game players are accustomed. If you like games that involve a good amount of detective work, Clock Tower is worth picking up. The detailed storyline and immersive gameplay are sure to win over a set of gamers that don't find enough cerebral stimulation in today's current crop of games. If you want faster-paced blood and gore though, your needs are better served with Resident Evil: Director's Cut or the upcoming Resident Evil 2. Clock Tower is hardly revolutionary, but it is very refreshing.

Those of you who enjoy point and click adventures will probably derive some pleasure out of this, even though it's not a particularly brilliant example of the genre. But for the vast majority of PSX players out there - me included - buying a point and click adventure is simply not even a consideration when you can play the likes of F1 CE, Colony Wars, Marvel Super Heroes, Abe's Odyssey and the many other titles out there that offer the fast-paced action, excitement and thrills I bought my PSX for.